Water softening apparatus



R. O. FRIEND ET AL WATER SOFTENING APPARATUS Feb. 14, 1928.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28. 1926 WITNESS 5%? A TTOR/VE VS Feb. 14, 1928. 1,659,023

R. o. FRIEND ET AL WATER SOFTENING APPARATUS Filed May 28- 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "MIMI 3W mum INVENTORS ,5 Roar/w 0. FilE/VD mmm mum/I051? Br A TTORNEYS Patented Feb. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT D. FRIEND AND MARTIN KULLANDER, 0F HAMMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS NEW YORK.

, 0F YGRK, N.

WATER-SOF'IENING APPARATUS.

Application filed m 28,

The invention relates to Water softening apparatus and more particularly to apparatus used in connection with 'zeolite water softeners both domestic and industrial of the upflow type, and has for its object to control all the diverse operations required in such asoftener by means of a valve of novel construction whereby the operation of such water softening apparatus is simplified. Other more specific objects will appear from the description hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an example of the invention and of its application without defining the limits thereof, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a water softenin apparatus in which the novel valve is embodied; Fig. 2 a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the novel valve on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4f is a plan view thereof, and Figs. 5, 6, 7 and '8 are detail sectional views, showing the valve in different operative positions.

The water softening apparatus, as shown in the illustrated example, comprises a softening tank 10 which may be of any usual and conventional construction, and is provided with a pipe 11 leading from thetop of the tank 10 to the topof a salt pot 12 which likewise may be of any usual type and which is arranged to contain a charge of salt for the purpose of regenerating the mineral contained in the softening tank 10; an open top salt pot may be used instead of a pressure pot or tank. Furthermore the novel valve to be described hereinafter may be constructed for use in connection with softeners which do not include a salt pot or tank. In the illustrated example the salt pot, at its lower end, is connected by means of a pipe 13 with the port 14 of a valve casing 15. The latter is provided with a second port 16 connected by means of a pipe 17 with the strainer system located in the usual way at the bottom of the softening tank 10. A pipe 18 leads from a third port 19 to a source of hard water and constitutes the hard water inlet of the apparatus. In addition, the valve casing is provided with a fourth port 20, which constitutes a soft water outlet and from whicha pipe 21 leads to the soft water supply, and with a fifth port 22, constituting a drain outlet, and connected by means of a pipe 23 with a suitable drain. The ports 1e,

through the pipe 11.

1926. Serial. No. 112,241.

16, 19, 20 and 22 are connected respectively by means of openings 24, 25, 26, 26 27 and 28 with the central bore 29 of the valve casa valve plug 30 is mounted in the bore 29 in a manner to rotate about its axis, and is secured in place therein in any convenient manner, a suitable spring 31 being provided for maintaining said plug properly seated in the bore 29. In the preferred arrangement, as shown inFig. 4, the bore 29 and the plug 30 are tapered in an axial direction to ensure a proper fluid-tight connection between these elements without interfering with the rotative movements of the plug 30. To facilitate the operation of theplug 30, an operating handle 31 is connected therewith and preferably is provided with an indicating pointer 32 cooperating with indications 33, 34:, 35 and 36 on a dial plate 37 to indicate visually the various operating positions of the valve plug; the dial plate 37 is fixed in position in any suitable way, as by means of screws 38 which screw into the valve casing 15 as shown in 3. The valve plug 30 is provided with major passages 39 and 40, the latter of which is in communication at r all times with a bypass L1, as shown in Figs.

.recondition periodically the zeolite or other mineral contained in the tank 10; this is done for instance by means of a salt charge dissolved in the salt pot 12 to form a brine and then passed to the top of the tank 10 Heretofore, this particular step of reconditioning has involved complicated. adjustments of a plurality of independent valves which required considerable amount of skill and time and was performed with more or less difficulty. With the present novel construction of valve and valve plug this reconditioning step is greatly simplified and no particular skill is required in its performance. Atsuch times as it is desired to recondition the apparatus, the first step necessary is to drain the salt pot 12. In thepresent case, this is accomplished I by simplymoving the handle 31 to bring pass41 and the opening 28.

' the port 22 and into the drainage pipe 23.

After the draining of the salt pot has been completed, the handle 31 is shifted to bring the indicator 32 to the indication 34 on the dial plate 37 or, in other words, to adjust the valve plug 30 to the position shown in Fig. 6. In this position of the parts, the opening 26 leading from the inlet port 19- I f 'is closed, while the opening 26 thereof is in 7 outlet 21.

communication. with the major passage 40 which, in turn, communicates with the open ing 2.4-. and consequently with the port and the pipe 13 leading to the salt pot 12. Atthe same time the major passage 40, through the medium of the lay-pass 41, is in communication with the opening 27 and consequently with the port 20 and the soft water The ports 16 and 22 and their openings 25* and 28 at the same time. are connected by means of the major passage 39, so that at this stage the pipes 17 and 23 are also in communication with each other. Under such conditions, hard water will pass through the major passage 40, the opening 24, the port 14 and. the pipe 13 to the salt pot 12 and dissolve the salt charge previously placed therein. The resulting brine then passes through the pipe 13 to the top of v the tank and downwardly through and over the zeolite or other mineral therein; in this. way the reconditioning of the aforesaid mineral is brought about. The brine finally passesinto the strainer system of the tank 10 and drainsthroughthe pipe 17, the opening25, the major passage 39, the opening 28 and port 22 to the drain pipe 23. At the same time a portion. of the hard water will flow through the bypass 41 and opening 27 to the port and thence to the soft water outlet 21 thus providing a water supply while the softener is being regenerated. After the reconditioning of the softener has been. completed, the next step in the opera' tionof the apparatus is the softening of the water. This is accomplished by shifting the handle 31 to a position in which the pointer 32 registers with the indication 35 on the dial plate 37, whereby the valve plug is brought to; the position shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. In this position of the parts, the inlet port 19 and its openings 26 and 26 are in communication respectively with the by-pass 41 and the major passage 40, so

that hard water flows through the opening to the port 16 and tl'iro'ughthe pipe 17 to the strainingsystem at the bottom of the tank 10 and then upwardly through and over the zeolite or other softenin mineral 39 and opening 24, are in communication with the port 14 and the pipe 13 and consequently with the salt pot 12. Under such conditions, the water which flows through the pipe 21 to the supply outlet iswater: which. has been subjected to the softening treatment by passage throu h the mineral contained in the tank .10. to permit hard water to pass 'tlirough the valve directly to the pipe 21, the handle is moved to a position in which its pointer 32 registers with the. indication 36 on the dial: plate 37; this brings the valve plug to the po "tion shown in Fig. 8, in which the openi 26 and-27' are in communicationwith V 1 other through the medium of the major channel 40 and the by-pass 41, as a result of which the hard water inlet pipe 1'8 and'its port 19 are. directly connected with the port 20 and the pipe 21. All of the above operations are brought about by simply manipulating the handle 31 in a if it is desired" Hill manner toadj-ust the valve plug. 30 to its various positions, which are clearly indicated by the pointer 32, in cooperation with the indications 33, 34, 35and 36 of the dial plate 37. o Inthe preferred construction the handle 31 may beprovided with a detent in the form of a plunger 42 which, under the influence of a spring 43, is pressed toward the dial plate 37, and, in cooperation with recesses 44, looks the handle and with it the valve plug 30, in any adjusted position; it will be understood that the recesses 44" are located so as to lockthe handle in its various positions with the pointer'32 in registry with the respective indications 33, 34, 35 and 36. Suitable stops 45 may be provided for arresting th v movements of'the' handle 31 in opposite directions. No par ticular skill is required in bringing about the aforesaid adjustments, all of which may be shown and described may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit of our invention.

WVe claim:

Apparatus for softening water, comprising a tank, zeolitic water softenin mineral therein, a salt pot at one side of the casing, pipe connections connecting the interior of said salt pot with the upper and lower parts of the casing respectively, a valve casing associated by two ports with the last named pipe connection, and additionally provided with a water supply port, a soft water port,

and a waste water port, each of said five ports being separated by walls forming part of the valve casing, valve seat portion within said valve casing having respectively a single orifice communicating with each of the ports except the water supply port and having two orifices for the water supply port, a valve plug in said seat, so recessed to be adapted when set to the respective operative positions hereinafter named to establish communications as follows: (a) during the water softening period both apertures associated with the water supply port are in open coimnunication with the pipe connection leading to the lower part of the tank, the waste pipe orifice being closed and communication bein open between the pipe connection leading rom the salt pot to the valve casing and from the valve casing to the soft water port; (6) during the salt pot draining period, water circulation from the water supply port through the apparatus is entirely shut off and only the drainage connection between the salt pot and the waste any period when circulation through the tank and salt pot is not desired, only one orilice of the water supply port remains in open communication with the soft water port, all other orifices of the valve seat being closed against intercommunication; by virtue of which arrangements hard water during the .water softening period is caused to flow in an upward direction through the zeolitic material in the tank, out through the upper part of the tank, thence through the salt pot and then through the valve casing into the soft water line, while, during draining, water from the salt pot flows directly to the waste line and no water flows to the soft water line, whereas reconditioning water from the supply line passes upwardly through the salt pot, then through the .zeolitic material in the tank, then upwardly into the valve casing, and out through the waste line, hard water simultaneously flowing directly through the valve into the soft water line, while finally in the inactive circulatory position of the apparatus the only flow of water is directed from the water supply inlet to the soft water line.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

ROBERT O. FRIEND. MARTIN KULLANDER. 

